In the Autumn of 1875 W. B. Barnett, founder of the Barnett National Bank, came to Jacksonville from
Hiawatha, Kansas. He was most favorably impressed and believed Florida had a great future. Being a
man of determined action, he returned to Kansas, closed his interests there, and on March 17, 1877 he and
his family arrived in Jacksonville to become permanent citizens.
In May he opened a bank, known as the Bank of Jacksonville, in the old Freedman's Bank Building on the
southwest corner of Pine (now Main) and Forsyth Streets. The office force consisted of W. B. Barnett,
Bion H. Barnett, and one clerk. This was sixty years ago. Today the bank employes more than one hun-
dred persons.
SIXTY YEARS AGO Total deposits in all banks in the state were $353,-
There were only six banks in the state: one na- 579. Today the Barnett National alone has on de-
posit $22,612,567.45. The largest bank in the
tional and five state and private banks. Of those United States was The Importers and Traders of
six, only the Barnett National of Jacksonville, and New York, with $18,265,519.14 on deposit. Chi-
the Lewis State Bank at Tallahassee have contin- cago's largest bank, The First National, boasted
ued in business. $5,394,966.42.
Let us now make some comparisons showing how the City of Jacksonville has grown. In 1877 the corporate
boundaries were on the south, St. Johns River; east, Hogan's Creek; north, Hogan's Creek; west, Clay
Street. West of Clay Street was LaVilla; east of Hogan's Creek was East Jacksonville. Each had a separ-
ate town organization and government.
All north of Hogan's Creek was called Springfield. There were three or four residences on
what was afterwards called First Street. All the rest was vacant land.
In 1877 Jacksonville in area comprised approximately 200 acres.
In 1937 the area is approximately 25,000 acres. The population
in 1877 was approximately 7,500. The population given in the
1935 census was 146,259. A glance at the pictures above will J
emphasize the differences.
More will be told about the growth of Jacksonville, the bank, and other con-
temparary activities in subsequent advertisements. r

On May 7 the Barnett National Bank
of Jacksonville will have completed 60
years of progressive banking. J
Between now and that date we expect
to present, through our weekly newspa-
per advertisements, detailed history of
the banking activities. Into the story we
shall weave outstanding points of prog-
ress that have been made in Jacksonville,
the State of Florida, and the United States
for the period 1877 to 1937.
Bion H. Barnett, present Chairman of
the Board of Directors, beginning as a
clerk, has served the bank continuously
since organization. Some of his personal
observations pertaining to the banking
business and to other trends of the times
will be given.
The first of the series will begin the
story of how this institution-born in the
depth of the secondary post-war depres-
S. sion-has prospered and grown so rapid-
ly that it has had to enlarge its banking
quarters four times.
Watch this space for the first of the
series one week from today.

fW j' Affiliated Banks I
?rr The Barnett National Bank of DeLand
Si. Ir The Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
S r rr Th3 Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
St i The St. Augustine National Bank
rr I fr of St. Augustine

1"iTHE BAR NETT

l- NATIONAL BANK
SJACKSONVILLE

,, Established 1877
Member of F. D. I. C.

The Oldest National Bank in Florida"
g;5;g~g55B5~gSZi52Z~g~5B~~aSS5Z55B~gg5ZE5E~~g5g5Z255

With a limited capital of $43,000, W. B. Barnett opened the
doors of his bank the first time in the old Freedman's Bank Build-
ing. This building, featured above, was located on the south-

Bion H. Barnett, now Chairman of the Board, was bookkeeper
and made the original entries with pen and ink. All letters were
written with pen and ink, and the impressions made with a copy
press like that shown above. None of the labor saving machines
were in general use. Most of them were unknown.
The typewriter had just been invented and was, despite its crude-
ness, coming into general use. On October 10, 1877, the tele-
9 phone was invented, and three years later the First Exchange in"
Florida was established in Jacksonville.
The old Boston Ledger, an evolution of the bound book for keep-
ing bank records, was then in use. It continued to be the book-
keeping method until the loose leaf ledger was placed on sale in
1888.
The bicycle and the graphophone were invented and put into prac-
tical use in 1877. The next year the incandescent lamp was in-
vented by Edison.
It was in 1877 that President Hayes took office. During the
sixty years' existence of this bank thirteen different Presidents have
served the United States. Nine States have been admitted to the
Union in addition to the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands.

( Pii Affiliated Banks
S F The Ba-nett National Bank of DeLand
F B H 'r The Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
S, The Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
P ,t ll The St. Augustine National Bank
'r I fII of St. Angustine

SITH E BAR N ETT

/. NATIONAL BANK
S-JACKSONVILLE

|i Established 1877
Member of F. D. I. C.
The Oldest National Bank in Florida"

Illus three others in Jacksonville: he First National Bank of Flor-
ern Cohen'sda, Amblers Bank, and Greeley and Paynes Florida Savings
Bank. Amblers Bank was succeeded by the Merchants Na-
Itional Bank of Jacksonville, which, together with the two oth-
er banks, later failed, so that we celebrate our Sixtieth Anni-
Sversary as the only remaining local bank o that time.
Sixty years ago between the River and McCoy's Creek was

When unincorporated subdivision called Brooklyn. There were 1937
a number of residences on the river fraon. T. W. C. Moore,
president, and J. M. Schumacher, case the MeFirstc Na-

tional Bank, and Horace Drew had residences there. With-
ahen unincorporated subtlvision called Brooklyn. There were
a number of residences on the river fronat T. W. C. Moore,
president, and J. M. Schumacher, cashier of the First Na-
tional Bank, and Horace DIrew had residences there. With
Mr. Schumacher lived his father-in-law, General F. E. Spin-
ner, who was the United States Treasurer during the Civil
War.
Beyond Brooklyn was a tract called Riverside, on which there
were only two houses, the Littlefield house, now owned by
Packard Motor Company, and the home of Wilkinson Call on
the land now occupied by the Woman's Club. Mr. Call later
represented the State n the Unted States Senate for eighteen
years.
SOf the local business firms in 1877, only four besides the
"Barnett National Bank are still operating. They are Cohen
Brothers, Furchgott Company, H & W. B. Drew Company,
and S. B. Hubbard Company. Their early homes and modern
e establishments are shown above.
The Barnett National, after witnessing
Sfor sixty years the progress of Jackson-
-2 I ville, will continue, in next week's ad-
St l l b vertisement, another episode in its history.

Sixty years ago, when this bank was established, there were no
paved streets in Jacksonville, no street cars, no sewers, no water
supply except private wells, no telephones, no bonded debt, no
cash in the treasury.
Scrip was used in payment of supplies or services. It could be
converted into cash at the banks at high rates of discount,
much heavier than those rates sometimes comDplaned of today.
It was receivable for city taxes, so that very little cash came
into the city treasurer's hands. A few years later a City Coun-
cil was elected which decided they would operate on a cash
basis only and demanded cash in payment of taxes. Within
two or thre- years they had redeemed all outstanding scrip and
the city has been on a cash basis ever since.
In 1881 the State made a sale of four million acres of land
to Hamilton D;sston and Associates for one million dollars.
This enabled it to redeem all outstanding scrip and out the
State on a cash basis, from which it has never departed. The
purchase seemed to end the period of stagnation suffered for
years. Villaees and towns blossomed into cities and many new
banks were chartered.
It will he interesting to note some of th- chances that have
taken place in the old building sites in Tacksonville. For in-
stance, there was a gas plant situated on East Bay Street, op-
posite what is known as the Merrill-Stevens plant. Gas was
produced from resin.
The nostoffice in 1877 was on the south side of Bay and New-
nan Stre-ts. On the southwest corner of Laura and Forsvth
Streets was a bakery, owned by a Mr. Liody, where the Gra-
ham Building now towers. An old two-story frame building
stood on the land occupied by the Seminole Hotel. Practically
all the business houses in the city were located on Bay Street.
One needs but glance at these locations today to see the
changes that have taken place. The progress of the city and
its firms has been watched and encouraged by the Barnett Na-
tional during its 60 years of existence.

SiAffiliated Banks

1 O The Barnett National Bank of DeLand
rllllIr The Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
Fr The Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
Siir The St. Augustine National Bank
r I I of St. Augustine
rIf, r III

TH BAR NETT

: A" NATIONAL BANK
0 1 V "O A JACKSO N VILLE

Established 1877
Member of F D. I. C.
"The Oldest National Bank in Florida" '
We invite you to listen to our radio program eaih Friday 10 P. M., WMBR, Columbia Network.
D ___:0-^^^^^

2 zc'rint Florida Times Union

W. B. BARNETT
Founder the Barnett National Bank

1Sixty Years Ago

.... and Today

In 1877, when this bank was founded, little was known
about the peninsula of Florida south of Orlando. Jackson-
ville was a tourist resort, though more people came South
in the Winter for their health than came for pleasure. The
leading physicians of the city were Doctors Sable, Daniel
and Mitchell. The climate was considered then, as it should
be now, particularly good for pulmonary troubles. How-
ever, we are sorry to relate, many waited too long before
coming and were sent back in coffins.
There was a tale told about Mr. Calvin Oak, the undertaker,
whose establishment was on the site now occupied by the
Atlantic National Bank. We tell this story with the per-
mission of Mr. Oak's grandson, Calvin H., a local resident
and perhaps the oldest living customer of our first
depositors.
It is said that Mr. Oak used to stand on the dock when
Charleston steamers came in and with a tall rod gauge the
height of the passengers as they left the steamboat. He
would estimate the sized coffin needs for any he thought
would not survive the Winter, then return to his shop to get
them ready so there would be no delay when the time came.
Other interesting stories about the early life of Jacksonville
that reveal the human side of its citizens will be told in this
space during the series of weekly advertisements celebrating
our Sixtieth Anniversary.

hill',

.. '. I,
Affiliated Banks
r il The Barnett National Bank of DeLand
Sr l The Barnett National Bank A Cocoa
r i The Barnett National Banlfof AvonPark
I rI I1 'The St. Augustine National Bank
0 |i of St. Augustine f

THE BAR

NATIONAL N K
JACKSO

E b I he I f A -
Memt-.r Ai F 1
"The Oldest National Bank in F orida"
The Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra broadcast is sponsored by this bank each Friday, WMBR, 10 P.M.
| 'The Ofldest National Bank in FSirida"

Reprint from the Florida Times Union February 296 1937
Jacksonville Journal March 2 1937

1J877 __ 11937

W. B. BARNETT
Founder the Bornett National Bank

St. James, Now Hemming Park.

"NA5

In Background, Original
St. James Hotel
Hemming Park
Monument

Sixty Years Ago

S.... and Today

In July, 1877-soon after the founding of this bank-our pres-
ent chairman, B. H. Barnett, helped organize the f:rst Florida
Light Artillery, from which has grown the Florida National Guard
with a present local membership of nearly six hundred. At that
time George C. Wilson, captain, had two twelve-pound brass
howitzers which were the company's main weapons of defense.
Three or four months later, when yellow fever became epidemic,
Colonel Lucius Hardee, who owned the Honeymoon Nurseries,
situated on Dennis Street about where the Swift plant now stands,
had a theory that the germs of the fever floated in the air, an
assumption which has since been proved by the discovery that
mosquitoes transmit the disease. He believed the germs could be
killed by concussion.
The battery was requested by health authorities to test this theory
and for several nights the guns were taken to St. James Park and
"concussed". Arthur Williams was number one on one gun and
Bion H. Barnett was number one on the other. There was great
rivalry between the two squads to see which could fire the
more rapidly.
On the northeast corner of Bay and Liberty Streets was the resi-
dence of Colonel Charles C. Hemming, many times referred to
as the Kind Colonel. He wore a Van Dyke beard, a low-crowned
broad-brimmed hat, and a cloak instead of an overcoat. His son,
Albert, proposed to the city authorities that if they would change
the name of St. James Park to Hemming Park he would erect
a monument to the Confederate dead. The offer was accepted
and the monument now stands in the center of Hemm:ng Park,
one of the largest of its kind in the heart of any city of the coun-
try.

,ijj This is the ll'r in a series
"ll i i of advertisements giving the his-
\ ,tory of Jacksonville and cele-
Sbrating the Sixtieth Anniversary
I of the Barnett National Bank.

SAffiliated Banks
F I( I, I Il l The Barnett National Bank of DeLand
Sr rThe Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
The Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
r r The St. Augustine National Bank
r of St. Augustine

"iTHE BAR N ETT

1111 -NATIONAL BANK
l-MH.I' JACKSONVILLE

G ''^ I W^ ^ B Established 1877
v f Member of F D. I. C
The Oldest National Bank in Florida"
The Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra broadcast is sponsored by this bank each Friday, WMBR, 10 P.M.

Reprint from the Florida Times Union March 5, 1937
Jacksonville Journal March 9, 1937

18g77 __1937__

W. B. BARNETT
Founder the Barnett National Bank

Sixty Years Ago

... and Today

In 1877, when this bank was founded, little was known
about the peninsula of Florida south of Orlando. Jackson-
ville was a tourist resort, though more people came South
in the Winter for their health than came for pleasure. The
leading physicians of the city were Doctors Sable, Daniel
and Mitchell. The climate was considered then, as it should
be now, particularly good for pulmonary troubles. How-
ever, we are sorry to relate, many waited too long before
coming and were sent back in coffins.
There was a tale told about Mr. Calvin Oak, the undertaker,
whose establishment was on the site now occupied by the
Atlantic National Bank. We tell this story with the per-
mission of Mr. Oak's grandson, Calvin H., a local resident
and perhaps the oldest living customer of our first
depositors.
It is said that Mr. Oak used to stand on the dock when
Charleston steamers came in and with a tall rod gauge the
height of the passengers as they left the steamboat. He
would estimate the sized coffin needs for any he thought
would not survive the Winter, then return to his shop to get
them ready so there would be no delay when the time came.
Other interesting stories about the early life of Jacksonville
that reveal the human side of its citizens will be told in this
space during the series of weekly advertisements celebrating
our Sixtieth Anniversary.

SAffiliated Banks
r ll I The Barnett National Bank of DeLand
B l rf The Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
if h, r i The Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
I F r irr Ii The St. Augustine National Bank
p rr I of St. Augustine
I ^| S f ii 1
to) I 11p,
HE BARN ETT

l r NATIONAL BANK
I W J'' JACKS 0 N VI'LLE
Established 1877
Member of F DI C
The Oldest National Bank in Florida"
The Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra broadcast is sponsored by this bank each Friday, WMBR, 10 P.M.
&r ilrms8=1sgg

Reprint from the Florida Times Union March 12, 1937
Jacksonville Journal March 16, 1937

"""'=II-=----- 1 a1937

W. B. BARNETT Founder the Barnett National Bank

Sixty Years Ago ..and Today

1937

S187 Ihe illustration above (without the insert) was aken from an old
coDv of Scribner's Magazine
Rail facilities in 1877 were limited. When this bank was organized there was
only one railroad into Jacksonville, the Florida Central. It ran to Lake City,
where it connected with the Jacksonville, Pensacola and Mobile Railroad,
D which terminated at Chattahoochee. It was in miserable condition and in
the hands of receivers.
The terminal in Jacksonville was the present Seaboard Air Line freight office
E near the foot of Ho'an Street. There had been no filling in of the land at
this point and the depot was built on piling over shoal water.
To reach Savannah by rail took fifteen hours. The trip to Lake City re-
quired six hours To reach St. Augustine. one landed at Toccoi, thence by
train. Formerly a tram car, pulled by a mule. as illustrated above, had been
the only mode of rail transportation, but the track had recently been im-
]proved and a small steam locomotive and passenger car replaced the mule.
Some authnrities indicate this was the first new rail service in the State
after the Civil War.
Trains to New York went through Live Oak to Dupont. Georgia; then to
Savannah. Charleston. Florence and Wilminaton. At Wilmington. the gauge
of tracks changed from 5'2" to 4'814". Thus it was necessary for day coach
passengers to change trains and for the railroads to maintain costly car
hoists and extra, sets of trucks and wheels to transfer the trucks under the
Pullman sleeping cars-going North and coming South-to conform with the
broad or standard gauee tracks. Wood-burning locomotives pulled small,
wooden coaches with open platforms and without the many luxurious con-
veniences enjoyed today.
"' The development of the rail system
"has been one of the most notable steps
"be told about transportation in fu-
-ture ads of this series, celebrating
the Sixtieth Anniversary of this bank.
SiNext week we will describe some of
I I Ithe early steamship lines.

lip r Affiliated Banks
Ir li The Barnett National Bank of DeLand
SThe Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
0 iPir iM Bi The Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
f 1 ri The St. Augustine National Bank of
if r o St. Augustine

Reprint from the Florida Times Union March 19, 1937
Jacksonville Journal March 23, 1937

1877 1^37

W. B. BARNETT fl Founder the Barnett National Bank

Sixty Years Ago ...and Today

1937
3_a

18 77 The illustration above (without Insert) is a picture of the
1" "Marion" taken from an old copy of Scribner's Magazine.
Sixty years ago there was no bridge over the St. Johns River and no
steam ferry.
Small steamboats ran the inside route to Savannah and the ore-war
side wheel ocean steamships, the DICTATOR and the CITY POINT,
ran to Savannah and Charleston. All traffic to points south was with
river steamers. There were steamboat lines to Mayport, Green Cove '
Springs, Palatka, Crescent City, Enterprise, and Mellonville on Lake
"Monroe. The City of Sanford was in its formative period, the first
boats stopping there in 1877.
From Enterorise, freight was carried in wagons to Daytona, Smyrna,
and Titusville, also from Mellonville, or Sanford to Orlando. and
other points. There were lines running to Silver Springs and Lees-
burg up the Oklawaha. They used wheel-barrow boats, so called
because the narrow and crooked channel which they traveled made it
necessary to have the wheel-offset in the stern.
Modern Tacksonville's ooqt harbors the nalatial passenger steamers
of the Clvde Line and Merchants and Miners and scores of giant
freighters that load and unload, at its docks. cargoes to and from the
markets of the world. Today the waters of the St. lohns teem with
pleasure and fishing crafts which find shelter as well as anchorage.
.,,,. It is with a sense of gratification
that we review in this, the ninth
jof a series of ads, celebrating our
iI-11 l Sixtieth Anniversary, the part that
"the Barnett National has played
in the development of the port of
Jacksonville.

SE lAffiliated Banks
it The Barnett National Bank of DeLand
SThe Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
L It The Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
f I The St. Augustine National Bank of
r, 11 1 St. Augustine

e lm I rr I I
1HE BAR N ETT

Si NATIONAL BANK
IFW JACKSONVILLtE

Established 1877
SMember of F. D. I. C.
The Oldest National Bank in Florida"
The Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra broadcast is sponsored by this bank each Friday, WMBR, 10 P.M.

Florida Times-Union, March 19, 1937

Florida Times-Union, March 19, 1937

Reprint from the Florida Times Union March 26, 1937
Jacksonville Journal March 30, 1937

__B _1 18377

W. B. BARNETT under The Barnett Nationol Bank

Sixty Years Ago

*. and Today

Early Jacksonville found most of the business houses on
Bay Street and most of the residences east of Pine (now Main)
Street.
The first strictly wholesale firm in Jacksonville was estab-
lished in 1877 by Wightman and Christopher, wholesale groc-
ers. Mr. Christopher was, until his death in 1933, the last
surviving member, other than Chairman B. H. Barnett, of our
original Board of Directors.
On the northwest corner of Forsyth and Main was the
Tremont Hotel, Mrs. Dodge, proprietress. With Frank Cul-
lins, her clerk, she later formed the firm of Dodge and Cullins
and after the fire of 1901 they owned and rebuilt the Windsor
Hotel. The St. James was the leading hotel. It was situated
on the site covered by Cohen's store, in the block north of St.
James Park, now Hemming Park. The Grand National, built
a few years before 1877, is today called The Everett.
Where the Elks Club new stands was the home of Dr.
A. S. Baldwin. He, Dr. T. Hartridge, Messrs. J. J. Daniel,
S. B. Hubbard, and M. W. Drew were five of the most
active civic workers in the early days of Jacksonville. In 1878,
as a result of the yellow fever epidemic of the year before,
when the people became aroused to the necessity of better san-
itation and the establi-hment of waterworks and sewerage system
in Jacksonville, $250,000 20-year 8': bonds were issued,
called Sanitary Improvement Bonds. Expend:ture of the money
was placed in the hands of a board called the Sanitary Bond
Trustees and the above named men constituted this board. These
bonds could not be sold. Finally, a Dr. J. A. Cloud, the
contractor from the North, accepted the issue in payment for
his services to dig the first well, lay the original water mains,
and install the first sewerage system.
Contrasting conditions w:th today, we proudly state that
in 1936 local municipal bonds sold on a 2.54 basis-a splen-
did record and a compliment to the City of Jacksonville.
The Barnett National has prospered as the city has grown.
We celebrate our Sixtieth Anniversary with a feeling of grati-
ficat:on for the part our credit and counsel has played in the
development of the city. We have kept faith, with the early
citizens of Jacksonville and their descendants and they have
indicated their confidence in us with their deposits.

1,nI
Sr Affiliated Banks
SThe Barnett National Bank of DeLand
I ir 1 The Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
Si r fi I The Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
Sf r r f The St. Augustine National Bank of
r l rpr I St. Augustine
I r r r t The Barnett National Bank of Fort
r r If Lauderdale

The second home of the Barnett National Bank, corner Bay and Laura Streets.
During the first eleven years of this bank's history, changes in
the State and Nation were rapid. Throughout the United States
new inventions-the typewriter, the telephone, the adding ma-
chine, the bicycle, the kodak, the movie camera, the loose leaf
binder, and the fountain pen-were made and were becoming gen-
erally in use. This bank was the first business house in Florida
to install a Burroughs adding machine.
The chief sources of income to the State were cattle, lumber, Sea
Island cotton, oranges, and Winter visitors. Comparatively few
grapefruit were raised, and naval stores operations had just started.
Growing and shipping of early vegetables to Northern markets
had not commenced, nor, had phosphate rock been discovered in
Florida. One needs but observe the heavy shipments of agricultural
products from Florida today to be convinced of the great change
that has taken place.
In May, 1888, our bank became a national corporation, known
as the National Bank of Jacksonville. By this time it had out-
grown the space in the Freedman Building, and on March -17,
1890, commodious offices were acquired at the southeast corner
of Bay and Laura Streets. The photograph above illustrates the
new quarters, which were thought to be ample for years to come.
2. How, through the confidence of
Si .its depositors, the bank thrived
I l,,' and advanced to its present
S lllllI eighteen-story structure will be
W told in subsequent issues of this
Sixtieth Anniversary Series.

# p The Barnett National Bank of DeLand
r The Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
Sr f'The Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
Sr The St. Augustine National Bank of
S1St. Augustine
r i The Barnett National Bank of Fort
I IF If I Lauderdale

In the Summer of 1888 yellow fever became an epidemic.
Business in Jacksonville was paralyzed for the time being be-
cause of a strict quarantine established against the town. Every
member of the bank's force was stricken with the fever. W. B.
Barnett survived, but three clerks succumbed to the malady.

Some idea of banking conditions after the fever epidemic may
be gathered from the fact that three-fourths of our loans were
past due. However, in time, all notes were paid with the excep-
tion of one $50 item. Had the yellow fever not taken the maker
of this note, who died leaving no estate, there would probably
have been no loss.

In 1880, W. D. Barnett, brother of Bion H. Barnett, sold his
business and became a partner in the bank. In 1888, the year
we became a national institution, W. B. Barnett, founder, became
President and Bion H. Barnett, who is now Chairman of the
Board, Cashier. At this time, due to ill health, W. D. Barnett
retired, returning to the bank in 1897 and became Cashier, with
Bion H. Barnett advancing to Vice Presidency. In 1920 W. D.
Barnett died and at the time of his death was Chairman of the
Board.

Donald M. Barnett, son of Bion H. Barnett, now Executive Vice
President, representing the third generation of the family, en-
tered the service of The Barnett National Bank of Jacksonville
in 1913. William R. Barnett and Harlow Barnett Jr., grand-
sons of W. D. Barnett, representing the fourth generation, are
now connected with the bank. William R. Barnett, who was
recently appointed an Assistant Cashier, is the youngest officer
in the organization.

The yellow fever epidemic of 1888 and the freeze of 1895 were
most discouraging to all lines of business, especially banking, but
the spirit of the founder, W. B. Barnett, seems to have been
imbued into succeeding genera-
tions; hence, the determination to
llll carry on through booms and de-
pressions and to conduct the
bank's affairs so that the deposi-
'lilt tors' welfare will be ever safe-
BV' The S guarded.

Affiliated Banks
I The Barnett National Bank of DeLand
Siii r f i The Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
Sl r The Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
rll The St. Augustine National Bank of
'r it i St. Augustine
S v I The Barnett National Bank of Fort
i Lauderdale

SY 1893 the deposits in the National Bank of Jackson-
ville, under which name this bank was chartered,
had increased to over a million dollars-a large amount
for Florida in those days.

There was a severe financial panic in that year. Many of
our deposits were withdrawn, but within sixty days after
the panic they were back in the bank.

No restrictions were placed on withdrawals and it was
difficult at times to get cash to meet the demands. North-
ern banks would not furnish it and checks on them were
only available through the Clearing Houses. We managed
to buy in the streets of Northern cities what was needed,
paying at times as much as 4% premium for it. While
this course was expensive, it was worthwhile to us, as it
added much to the credit and standing of the bank through-
out the State. The same course was pursued during the
Panic of 1907.

No interest was paid on deposits. As a matter of fact, this
bank did not pay interest on deposits until 1906.

Throughout the SIXTY YEARS of our existence, we have
endeavored to render to the
banking public that type of
0 Service which time has proven
6111 ^ to be in the best interests of
If .i\l0i depositors and community.

The third home of The Barnett National Bank, Forsyth and Laura Streets.

In February 1895 came the great freeze in Florida which de-
stroyed the orange groves in the State, except a few near Sara-
sota and Fort Myers. It seemed a crushing disaster. The in-
come producing crop of the Peninsula was destroyed, as well as
all the capital invested in groves. A few gave up and moved
away, but the majority pluckily went to their work to replant
their groves, meanwhile trying to find some quick growing crops
to support themselves while the groves were coming on. This
was the beginning of truck farming in Florida.
The various vicissitudes Florida faced during these early years
naturally made business dull for sometime; but, in spite of it all,
by 1897-only twenty years after the organization of this bank
-we had outgrown our second banking quarters.
The lot at the northwest corner of Forsyth and Laura Streets
was purchased and upon it was erected the bank building which
now houses the savings, collection, and bond departments. THE
ABOVE PHOTOGRAPH shows the building erected and still
standing on the site that was originally occupied by the resi-
dence of W. Caulk, a grandfather of Frank Dearing.
Where the 18-story building stands today was the residence of the
Bisbee family, ancestors of Frank D. Bisbae, a member of our pres-
ent Board of Dir;ctors. The cor-
ner of Adams and Hogan Streets,
l adjoining, was the residence of
..D. G. Ambler. This corner is now
occupied by the old postoffice
k" ` buildingg.

"I bl n Affiliated Banks
Sf The Barnett National Bank of DeLand
SIii 1 rThe Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
F' l F Ir Ill The Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
The St. Augustine National Bank of
f St. Augustine
pf r M The Barnett National Bank of
SI Fort Lauderdale.

were stamped, "Payable at the Bank of Jacksonville", which was
the name of this organization before it became a national bank.
This adetis.ed Ihe bank from Pensacola to Key West, greatly in-
creased its '.rent deposits, and put the bank on a profitable basis
from lhic her, eceded.
The Spain 'h \X f 1898 gave a great impetus to business in
Jacksonville. The Seventh Army Corps was encamped here for
several months and as a result, the merchants did a thriving busi-
ness. Banking went steadily forward and everything looked more
encouraging again, when on May 3, 1901, came the great fire that
destroyed most of Jacksonville.
Our bank was the only one not burned. While the other banks
were being rebuilt, each had a safe in our vault in which they
kept their cash and other valuables.
Th e same spirit which characterized Florida citizens after the yel-
low fever plague and after the great freeze demonstrated itself
again in the hearts of Jacksonville
citizens and the task of rebuilding
started at once. It was not many
Skl i "" a years before the City of Jackson-
SiI li|i" 'l''T r ville was entirely restored with
6 u! ,,la ,in i | I( -" t| |much thbetter buildings than be-
Sfore the! fire,

IF Affiliated Banks
I lThe Barnett National Bank of DeLand
S r'The Barnett National Bank of Cocoa
SThe Barnett National Bank of Avon Park
t j I f iThe St. Augustine National Bank of
P r n St. Augustine

I f The Barnett National Bank of
So Fort Lauderdale.

HE BARNETT

ID JACKSONVILLE

Established 1 877
Member of F D I C
The O oldest National Bank in Florida"

e Urge You to Attend the Annual Boy Scout Circus at the Municipal Stadium, May 7 at 8 P. M. 'V
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